Category Archives: Health

Jan 16

It’s a close shave

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No matter how one analyzes Gillette’s controversial new campaign “Is this the best a man can get?” it’s fraught with uncertainties. And it most certainly has further divided an already divided country.

Truly the best a man can get?

First, though, a tip of the hat (or razor) to Gillette’s management for having the courage to double down on its purpose and values. But have they? Or is the campaign a mere ploy or stunt as some detractors claim whose only goal is to drive sales?

I think there are several factors to weigh when analyzing the Gillette campaign:

1) Is alienating a significant percentage of the male shaving market worth the risk of taking a stand and saying the right thing? We asked that very question of 50 CCOs and CMOs we interviewed in a joint research study with the Institute for Public Relations.

One CCO, who managed a global manufacturing company’s marketing spend, echoed the comments of most when he stated, “No matter what you say you WILL alienate a percentage of your stakeholders. I’d much prefer to go on record and double down on our purpose in the wake of a societal crisis than remain silent.”

2) Consistency: Nike’s outstanding campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick won countless awards and witnessed a serious uptick in sales. But, as bold as it was, Nike’s campaign was consistent with its track record (pun intended) of partnering with controversial, outspoken athletes. As a result, the campaign was authentic to the core. Gillette has no such track record and, as the WashPo article indicates, has long profiled macho men in previous campaigns. So, there’s no sense of continuity in my mind. The campaign was a complete 180 for the brand. I think that’s why, when the dust settles, Nike’s post-Kaepernick sales increase will far surpass that of Gillette’s.

3) There but for the grace of god go I. Suppose, just suppose, that Gillette management should be accused of a #MeToo scandal of their own?

That scenario played out in the months following BP’s launch of its “Beyond Petroleum” campaign, extolling their multiple contributions to the environment. Sure enough, a few months later, BP found itself at the epicenter of the Gulf oil spill disaster (and became the butt of endless late night talk show host jokes).

When they said, “think outside the barrel,” I don’t think they meant the Gulf Coast.

I do hope that, in Gillette’s case, HR has done its due diligence to ensure there aren’t any 15 or 20-year-old harassment claims against the current executive team. If such an event were to unfold, it would be beyond catastrophic and underscores the risks a brand takes when it creates it own societal crisis by taking a stand on a societal crisis.

We live in a brave new world littered with myriad societal minefields ranging from illegal immigration and mass school shootings to environmental roll-backs and, yes, #MeToo scandals.

Taking a stand in the immediate aftermath of a societal crisis is the right thing for a purpose-driven organization to do.

It remains to be seen if Gillette’s gamble to create a crisis within a crisis will play out the way they hope.

 

 

Aug 28

A disruptive technology for the body

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Kangoo will be to Zumba what Amazon was to
Borders: a disruptive technology.

In case you're not familiar with disruptive technology,
the term was first coined by Clayton Christianson, a Harvard professor who
penned the best-selling business book entitled, 'The Innovator's Dilemma'. In
it, he described not only how business models such as Amazon's were disrupting
the status quo, but also what executives could do to ensure their organizations
weren't prone to being Amazoned (I know all this because we publicized the
book. Thank you very much).

At any rate, I know a disruptive technology when I see
one and Kangoo is the real deal. All it lacks is an aggressive marketing
campaign.

Kangoo already possesses a brilliant role model in Mario Godiva.

I've worked with Mario, and one of his top associates,
Eric Daniels (elifestyletraining@gmail.com).
Together, they've completely disrupted my prior training regimen, and the way
in which I think about wellness.

Mario's led Kangoo dance and fitness classes as well as
Kangoo runs with many of my fellow employees at Peppercom. And, Eric's working
with some of my associates on their overall wellness programs.

In my case, I've literally stopped using sneakers to run long
distance. I now do it in Kangoos. And, the training by Mario and Eric provides
a post workout high that rivals the very best laughing gas in the world (I know
my way around the dentist's chair). 

But, here's why Kangoo will disrupt Zumba and other FOD's
(fads of the day). Kangoo was originally designed to help people recover from
back and knee injuries. The rebounding/running boots reduce 80 percent of the
pressure on one's knees and lower back while simultaneously engaging the core. Kangoo

It's an amazing balancing act that has captivated kids
from eight to 80. I say again, kids from eight to 80.

Kangoo is both intense and a blast. And, unlike Zumba,
there's no post workout joint pain. And, there my friends, is the rub. One gets
a high without any residual pain. That's disruptive.

I was running five miles in my Kangoo boots just this
morning. As I rounded a corner, a guy yelled out, 'Hey, isn't that cheating?' I
smiled and said, 'If it is, then I'm the Lance Armstrong of the hood because I
love cheating in my Kangoo boots.'

Try them. You'll like them.

Apr 06

A Fit Reputation

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Peppercommer and Stand-Up Executive Deb Brown interviews fitness expert and International Kangoo Master Trainer Mario Godiva about the correlation between being fit and successful in your job.

Mario godiva green 640-360How does being fit help your personal image and reputation at work?

When people are fit, they’re more energetic, more motivated, and have a confidence about them.  They’re generally more productive, handle stress well, and other people admire them.  Studies have shown that when employees are fit and attractive, they are usually more successful and paid more.  But, it’s not just because they look fit.  A lot of it is because of the effects of exercise:  mood, energy, motivation, and productivity. 

What do you say to people who say they just don’t have the time to exercise?

Anyone who tells me that they are too busy to work out, I say “You know what? There is always someone busier than you who exercises and eats healthy. Don’t make excuses, make the time.”  If you aren’t responsible enough to take care of your own personal health and wellbeing and make it a priority, how can you be responsible enough to take care of anything else and be efficient and excel at your job? Instead of talking to your friend for an hour, you can work out for an hour. It’s all about prioritizing.

Why don’t bosses encourage exercise?  What’s the barrier?

The barrier is cost.  It’s expensive to eat healthy.  It’s a lot cheaper to order pizza.  Some companies are good about it and provide a gym membership.  Those companies are few and far between.  Companies are looking to cut.  The last thing they want to do is spend more money.

Can exercise make a difference in how bosses manage employees?

Absolutely.  Exercise affects your mood. Exercise produces endorphins, which help to relieve stress.  They’re induced by exercise as well as by laughing.  Employees who are mean are the ones who don’t experience those endorphins. If they exercised enough, they would be happier, calmer.  They don’t know how to take care of their stress, so they take it out on others.  If they’re exercising, they’d be better at handling that stress. 

When you do corporate training, are most employees fit or not fit?

It depends on the company.  There’s usually a small subculture that is fit.  Unfortunately, at some companies, I’ve met with people who’ve gained weight because of working at the company. They may have gained 10, 15, 20 pounds because of the stress. And, that’s more of a common theme that I see. They get a new job and then gain weight because of the stress that accompanies the job, or they’re sitting all day, or they’re eating the unhealthy food in the cafeteria.  It’s a very sad thing to hear.  

Can being fit help you move up the corporate ladder?

Yes. You become more visible, you stand out more.  You’re the calm one, you’re the one handling stress.  It’s the feeling that exercise gives you that makes you more successful.

 

Dec 01

A squeezed middle in the midst of a widening waistline

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Fat-man-boatThe Oxford University Press just anointed the phrase ‘squeezed middle’ as its ‘word of the year’. The phrase, of course, refers to the financial pinch being felt by the American middle class in the midst of a never-ending recession.

I find it ironic, though, that the Oxford word wizards would choose ones that illustrate the exact opposite of what’s happening to the population’s collective waistlines. Two recent cases in point illustrate the dichotomy. The first appeared in The New York Times and told the sad story of America’s truckers. According to Abby Ellin’s article, an astounding 86 percent of the country’s 3.2 million truck drivers are overweight or obese! And, check out this tidbit provided by Brett Blower, director of marketing and development for the Healthy Trucking Association of America. A few years back, Blower’s group conducted a blood screening of more than 2,000 truckers at an annual truck show. “We sent 21 directly to the emergency room, and one of them had a heart attack on the way there,” he recalled. Talk about road kill. Wow!

At the same time truckers are dropping like flies (note: Ellin’s article blames the truckers’ sedentary lifestyle and the calorie-rich gruel served at truck stops as the chief cause of their obesity), Congress is fighting hard to undermine the Obama Administration’s efforts to take unhealthy foods out of our nation’s schools. I guess knowing that most Americans today are overweight isn’t good enough for Congress; they’re thinking long-term.

In fact, if Republicans get their way, the tomato paste used on pizza would be counted as a vegetable and they’d overturn efforts to limit the use of potatoes on the lunch line, put new restrictions on the use of sodium and boost the use of whole grains. It’ll be a huge win for potato-growers, frozen pizza makers and the salt industry, respectively; and a huge loss for the health and well-being of our kids.

So, while I wouldn’t quibble with the Oxford University Press opting for squeezed middle as the word of the year (after all, it’s the economy, stupid!), I would nominate a co-winner for the 2011 word or phrase of the year: ‘self-inflicted wound’. I cannot think of any other nation at any other point in history that has done more harm to itself than modern-day America. Of course, I missed Rome circa 476 A.D. and Athens about 800 years prior to that, but I can’t believe either society could compete with ours for sheer stupidity.

Nov 04

This can’t be good news for the Barcalounger

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Img_2112-500x497Doctors and fitness experts have long espoused the benefits of an active lifestyle. But, as the statistics bear out, Americans have not only turned a deaf ear to the warnings, the number of obese, sedentary slugs has only grown.

Now comes a new study that shows more than 90,000 new cancer cases a year may be due to physical inactivity and prolonged periods of sitting. The American Institute for Cancer Research cites some 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 of colon cancer. That's enough people to fill the Rose Bowl!

The anti-sedentary news can't be good news for marketers who enable such inactivity. How should Barcalounger, for example, respond? Do they take the route of Big Tobacco and deny, deny, deny?

     – “The AICR study adds nothing new to the dialogue. We remain committed to providing the softest, most comfortable lounging experience possible for inert Americans.”

Or, do they go on the offensive and launch an attack ad against fitness and wellness?

     – “Who needs activity? Even triathletes die sooner or later. Kick back and ease your way through a shortened lifespan with our new, extra padded Barcalounger Deluxe (which comes equipped with fold-away trays, a built-in fridge AND airtight storage areas for those double cheeseburgers and fries you want to keep super fresh for the second half kick-off!).”

I've often wondered how I'd handle an offer to represent a product that either causes illness (i.e. tobacco) or enables obesity and inactivity (i.e. lounge chairs). The latter is obviously a no-brainer since it can be positioned as a lifestyle accessory for the active or inactive consumer.

But, representing Big Tobacco or the National Rifle Association would present a huge ethical problem for this blogger. I simply don't buy into the logic of PR firms who say they represent these merchants of death because “…every business deserves a right to tell its side of the story.” And, I also don't buy into the NRA's rant about Second Amendment rights and their mantra that 'Guns don't kill people. People kill people.' Yeah, sure. And, a Big Mac with cheese doesn't harden the arteries either. That's caused by an individual's DNA. Not.

In any event, I'll be interested in reading how, if at all, the enablers respond to the new statistics about the dangers of a sedentary life and sitting for a prolonged period of time. As for me, I've never been able to sit still, so the whole thing is a non-issue. As a matter of fact, I think I'll head to the gym right now.

Sep 13

White Castle’s conundrum

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White-castle
What would you do if you sat in the White Castle CEO seat? The low end, fast food purveyor has been peddling fattening fare for decades but they've just been sued by a severely obese customer who says the 'restaurant's' booth seats are too small!

This could only happen in America.

It's also a classic conundrum. White Castle exists to fatten people up for the kill. But, the 290-pound Wall Street stockbroker wants to be compensated because he can't squeeze his already massive hulk into a White Castle seat. So, what to do if you're White Castle? It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad. (Want to check your own weight status? click here.)

I have a win-win solution.

White Castle should embrace its core differentiator, declare itself America's first 'Friend of the Fat' and partner with the roly poly stockbroker to redesign the chain's booths. How cool would that be?

In fact, WC should expand (ouch) on my idea by creating a crowdsourcing contest and invite the obese, severely obese and morbidly obese of the world to submit their ideas. The person who submits the winning booth design would receive a lifetime supply of those disgusting, little burgers and have all the medical expenses paid for his or her upcoming massive stroke or quadruple bypass.

This has Silver Anvil award written all over it.

As Don Levin, my first boss at Hill & Knowlton used to say, “Where the client sees a challenge, we see an opportunity.” White Castle doesn't have a conundrum. It has a unique branding and marketing opportunity. Carpe diem, White Castle. Now's the time to declare yourself the very first openly friendly friend of the junk food junkie. Oh, and by the way, you should make that money-grubbing, slob of a stockbroker your new corporate spokesperson. You were made for each other.

Sep 12

Starting over

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Book-coverPatrice Tanaka has discovered, or re-discovered, the meaning of life in middle age. I'd like to  think I have as well.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Patrice, she is arguably the most creative executive in the wonderful world of public relations. She created her own firm, PT&Co. in the early 1990s and quickly established it as one of the best in the country. PT&Co. was routinely named America's most creative PR firm and racked up just as many accolades for creating one of the industry's very best workplaces. In 2005, she then merged PT&Co. with Carter Ryley Thomas (founded by three of the coolest guys in the business: Mark Raper, Mike Mulvihill and Brian Ellis) and continued along a very successful path.

So, what's missing in this seemingly classic, only in America tale? Well, in her candid autobiography, "Becoming Ginger Rogers", Patrice talks about her personal battle with cancer, the loss of her husband to a brain tumor and the realization that her work defined her. And, that, despite the awards and recognition, she wasn't the nicest person in the world. In fact, she refers to the 'old' Patrice as the repressed, depressed 'Ayatollah Tanaka'.

Then came a seminal session with her executive coach, at which Patrice experienced what I'd call a Helen Keller moment. Her coach asked Patrice what made her happy. Tanaka didn't hesitate to respond, and said dancing.

The rest of "Becoming Ginger Rogers" is a fascinating back-and-forth tome that simultaneously details Patrice's rise as a serious, competitive ballroom dancer and becoming a much nicer, more focused business executive she now calls 'Sambagrl'.

I highly recommend the book to Millennials just starting out, Gen Xers who are wondering 'Is that all there is?' and burnt out Boomers who feel their best years are behind them.

Patrice Tanaka is a textbook example of what I've found to be fundamentally true: you CAN start over and remake yourself. But, in order to do so, you need to ask yourself the very same question Tanaka's therapist asked her: what makes you happy? Figure that out and all the stress and heartache will seem a whole lot less stressful and less important.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up Becoming Ginger Rogers and begin remaking yourself. The life you save may be your own.

Aug 26

The Pol Pot of supersized portions

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First it was Hosni Mubarak. Then, Muammar el-Qaddafi. Now comes news there's been a coup d'etat at Burger King as well, and the King has been banished.

The media cited words such as 'creepy' and 'disturbing' to explain the king's overthrow. I'd add “…horrific role model, guilty of encouraging millions to eat themselves to an early grave”.

Ronald_mcdonald_arrestedWith the king gone, I'm hoping that, like the Arab Spring, we'll now see an Obesity Fall. And Ronald McDonald should be the first to go.

The sadistic-looking clown is public enemy number one. He's the ultimate fast food despot who, in fact, has a far creepier and disturbing side than the late Burger King. Ronald, you see, was purposely created to be a junk food version of Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck. Kids loved Ronald and, boy, did Ronald love kids (mind you, I'm not suggesting pedophilia was a motivator. To the best of my knowledge, Ronald was never ordained).

Ronald McDonald ensnared generations of unwitting kids with his mini amusement park rides, Happy Meal treats and 'life is a blast' at Mickey D's marketing campaigns. The bastard is single-handedly responsible for countless cases of morbid obesity and their associated complications. He's the Pol Pot of supersized portions.

So, here's hoping that, with the king gone, we'll now see Ronald McDonald deposed. And, let's not stop there. The Obesity Fall should include Colonel Sanders, the Pillsbury Dough Boy (who should be chained to a treadmill until he losses those multiples layers of dough) and other icons of obesity.

The king is dead! Long live sensible eating!

Now, let's round up some mercenaries, a platoon or two of paramilitary types and order a NATO air strike on Oakbrook, Illinois (where Ronald and his family maintain their palatial estate).

Aug 17

And smoking cigarettes is good for your health

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Ske_couch_potato_lgRonald McDonald must be smiling from ear to maniacal ear after reading a truly bizarre new  report from the York University School of Kinesiology & Health Science.

In the York study, assistant professor Jennifer L. Kuk says obese people who are otherwise healthy live just as long as their slim counterparts. And, get this, Kuk's study showed otherwise healthy obese people are even LESS likely than lean people to die of cardiovascular disease! Who funded this research, White Castle?

Dr. Kuk hypothesized that “…trying and failing to lose weight may be more detrimental than simply staying at an elevated body weight and engaging in a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”

Now, hold on there, partner. If an obese person engages in a healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, he'd no longer be an obese person! What am I missing here?

I don't buy Kuk's premise for one minute (or calorie, for that matter). In fact, I'd point her to an equally obtuse, just-released study from a slightly better known institution: Yale University's School of Medicine.

In that study, Yale's Dr. David L. Katz determined that people who watch six hours of television a day lose a full five years off their life. Why? Surprisingly, it's not the horrific programming. Instead, says Katz, a couch potato's lifestyle leads to “…a greater risk for obesity and the chronic diseases it tends to anticipate, notably diabetes, heart disease and cancer.” Put that in your Whopper with extra cheese and smoke it, Dr. Kuk.

Still, if Kuk can find a silver lining in obesity, I have to believe she'll be swamped with corporate funding offers from such merchants of death as R.J. Reynolds. I could see them paying her a cool (Kool?) mil to say smoking two packs of cigarettes a day actually improves one's heart and lung functions. And, I wouldn't be surprised to see Dos Equis underwrite a Kuk study that says downing a case of their swill once a week will enhance liver functions.

The sky's the limit for a woman who I'd label as the mad professor of death.

But, hey, if things don't work out for you at York University, Dr. Kuk, I know a great, new place for you to settle down: Evansville, Indiana. I'll bet the town fathers would welcome you with open arms and expanded waistlines. Heck, they'd probably even insist on building the "Jennifer L. Kuk Center for the Advancement of Obesity."

And a tip o' RepMan's hat to Sir Edward Aloysius Moed and Greg Schmalz for this idea.

Aug 11

Carpe diem, Evansville

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Evansville, Indiana, was just named America's fattest city. 

According to the survey, 37.8 percent of Evansville's population is obese. That's more than one in three people. Absorb that shocker for a moment: more than one in three!
090220101283431391Fat People
That means the starting line-up for every Evansville high school basketball team has two obese members. So much for the fast break. It also means three members of every Evansville Little League team probably can't go from first to third on a hit-and-run. Maybe they should call it a hit-and-waddle, instead? And forget about the city's football wide receivers running the fly pattern. Maybe they rename it the slug?

I'm joking, but Evansville's obesity is a sad, sick joke. And, since the odds are good that residents aren't going to be giving up their Big Macs and supersized fries anytime soon, why not embrace a huge marketing opportunity?

For starters, I'd change the city's nickname to Obeseville, USA. I'd advertise plus-sized friendly theme parks, movie theatres and public transportation. And, since weight-challenged folks are also supposed to be jolly, why not host a comedy festival? And, I'd do away with any and all overt signs of fitness or wellness (i.e. cover over hiking, jogging and bicycle trails, close down health clubs, etc.).

I think Evansville has a chance to do something very special here. It can simultaneously become synonymous with heft AND, a la Xerox and Google, become a verb ("You Evansvilling me with that extra cheese?”).

City fathers should challenge local chefs to come up with a signature cheeseburger to mark their accomplishment. I'd call it the 37 Special. The branding opportunities are as limitless as the waistlines are large.

Here's one final thought: Evansville should challenge residents of America's fittest city, Boulder, Colorado, (where a mere 12.9 percent of the population is obese). They should engage in a multi-event competition that would favor neither town but still capture the imagination of a recession-weary populace (i.e. A 26.2 marathon followed by a Nathan's Famous type hot dog eating contest). How cool would it be to see which city would come out on top? Of course, there's an excellent chance that one in every three Evansville competitors might keel over from a massive heart attack during even the most sedentary event but, hey, what better way to die than in the service of one's home town?

So, don't hide your collective heads in shame, Evansville. Take a deep breath, let out that 48-inch belt a little more and embrace what you, and you alone can own: the unrivaled claim to being America's fattest city!

Carpe diem, Evansville. Carpe diem.